New app lets users follow Texas campaign money and votes

Influence Texas and Texans for Public Justice have released Influence TX OS, an open source app providing campaign finance and voting records of Texas state politicians, enabling users to track the influence of money in politics.

Users will be able to track top contributors and donations from the most recent election cycle. A future version of the app, Influence Texas PRO, will enable users to source donations by industry and match those donations to legislation across multiple election cycles.

Read the full media release re: Influence TX OS.
Access the new Influence TX OS at app.influencetx.com.

Report Tracks Austin Campaign Money

FAULT LINES
Campaign Contributions Expose Austin's Divide

Austin's city elections were dominated by residents of the three most affluent and least racially diverse city council districts.  Three districts delivered 68 percent of all the money raised from Austin residents.  In contrast, low-income minority district residents contributed just four percent of Austin campaign cash.

Read the FAULT LINES report. 

Houston Chronicle:Campaign Contributions and the Big Dogs

Editorial on the need for Texas to take action on campaign finance reform.

"In our vast state of 30 million, there are only around 30 people who truly control the purse strings in Texas politics."

Read the Houston Chronicle editorial.

A Blue wave with not much green

	A 'Blue Wave' Without Much Green The Texas Observer This year, a group of lesser-known candidates has raised $1.1 million over the same period, a 90 percent drop, according to a preliminary analysis of campaign finance data by Texans for Public Justice, a nonprofit watchdog group in Austin. Statewide and legislative candidates include the Texas House ...

Legislators play with their war chests

Without competitive primaries, some Texas politicians choose to donate to their colleagues

Texas Tribune

A 2017 report from Texans for Public Justice, a campaign finance watchdog group, said five members who left the Texas Legislature that year became lobbyists within four months of leaving. “A couple of people have gone into the lobby in recent years with pretty decent-sized war chests,” said Craig McDonald.

Abbott attacks fellow Republicans for pushing ethics reforms

Texas Tribune:  Abbott builds on six-figure push to unseat GOP Rep. Sarah Davis.

Read full story at the Texas Tribune, and
Ross Ramsey column on Abbott attacking his own.

George P. Bush reaped $129,000 from contractors

Austin American-Statesman digs into contractor payola at George P. Bush's Land Office.

Read full story at the Statesman.

Companies got Harvey contracts and their executives gave money to George P. Bush

Executives from several companies getting millions of dollars in contracts to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey gave thousands to Land Commissioner George P. Bush's re-election fund within days of the contracts being signed.  Full Story in the Houston Chronicle.

Gov. Abbott’s appointees have given him more than $14 million

An investigation into 'pay-to-play' at the Governor's office reveals that individuals appointed by Abbott to government positions have donated over $14 million to his campaign war chest.


Read the story by Peggy Fikac and Annie Millerbernd at the Houston Chronicle. (paywall)

Texas Observer digs into tax-writing conflicts at the lege

Lawmaker on State Tax Committee Also Works for Texas’ Corporate Welfare King

State Representative Drew Springer started working for corporate tax firm Ryan, LLC in March. He doesn't recall any conflicts of interest from a session spent overseeing Texas tax law.

Read complete story at the Texas Observer.